Fasanerie Palace, Fulda – a baroque gem in leafy surroundings.

This baroque residence in Fulda, Hessen, was built between 1708 and 1714. Inside, visitors can marvel at a collection from Fulda's porcelain manufactory as well as state rooms from the 19th century. The tower offers sensational views over Fulda and the Rhön hills.

Fasanerie Palace, one of the finest baroque residences in Hessen is in a slightly elevated position around seven kilometres from Fulda and surrounded by magnificent forests. This modest summer residence built for Prince Abbot von Dalberg at the beginning of the 18th century still forms the heart of the palace between the two towers. The complex we see today was designed by the architect Andreas Gallasini for the first Prince Bishop of Fulda, Amand von Buseck, in around 1740. Its north wing has a dazzling, original, rococo stucco ceiling, while the south wing houses a treasure trove of 19th century craftsmanship with an array of exquisite artisan works and Empire-style furniture. A priceless porcelain collection, which includes pieces from all the early European factories, can be admired in separate showrooms. The antiquities collection at Fasanerie Palace is one of the most important private collections in Germany. Its holdings, which include a wide range of ceramics, myriad small works of art, large sculptures and busts, span more than a millennium. The palace is surrounded by an enchanting park of around 100 hectares. Originally a simple hunting park prior to 1738, the grounds were converted into a baroque garden for the Prince Abbot (later Prince Bishop) of Fulda, Amand von Buseck. Baroque features, such as pavilions and other focal points, can still be seen in the palace park today. Fulda itself is well worth a trip, and boasts attractions such as St. Saviour's Cathedral, Stadtschloss Fulda – an early Renaissance palace from 1706-1721 – and a series of impressive altars and funerary monuments including the tomb of St. Boniface.